


Always By Your Side

by Cilantro999



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: F/F, Romance, Soul Bond, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-01
Updated: 2017-08-01
Packaged: 2018-12-09 14:01:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11670528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cilantro999/pseuds/Cilantro999
Summary: After story to my previous work titled 'At the Beginning with You'Three years after saving Eli, Nozomi is enjoying her time with Eli at the Otonokizaka culture festival.  But when Nico alludes to the fact that Eli might be hiding something, will Nozomi be able to make her wish finally come true?





	Always By Your Side

**Author's Note:**

> While this is a companion story to my previous work, I do think it can be read on its own. There just might be a few references that aren't obvious if you haven't read the previous story.

Nozomi looked on in awe as she and Eli walked through the front gates of Otonokizaka.  The culture festival was going full swing and it was even livelier than Nozomi remembered.  A variety of food stalls and events lined the walk inside and students were handing out brochures on everything that would be going on that day.

“Ah, this brings back memories!” Eli exclaimed as she looked around, “Alisa certainly didn’t hold back on anything.”

Nozomi giggled, “That’s to be expected, isn’t it?  She is your sister after all.”  Nozomi had been surprised by the change she’d seen in the younger girl.  Where once there was an emotionless robot, now Alisa was a cheerful (if not a bit serious) young woman.  She’d even become friends with Honoka’s younger sister, Yukiho Kosaka.  Their interactions had reminded Nozomi of her interactions with Eli.

Chatting about whatever struck their fancy, Nozomi and Eli slowly made their way through the various stalls and events offered by the cultural festival.  Nozomi was happy to see all her friends again, some of whom had traveled quite a distance when they heard that Nozomi would be there.  It was interesting to see what they all were doing now, three years later.  Honoka was working at her parents’ bread shop.  Umi and Kotori were going to the same university where Umi was studying archery and Kotori was studying fashion design.  Maki was studying to be a doctor so she could take over at the Nishikino Hospital.  Nico had finally become an idol, with Hanayo and Rin as her managers (though Nico was working to make Hanayo an idol as well).

As the night drew on the group began to part ways, Nico pulled Nozomi off to the side, “So, how’re you feeling?”

Nozomi cocked a head at the seemingly odd question, “Pretty well, I think.  That’s kind of an odd question to ask now, isn’t it Nicocchi?”

“Ah ha, haven’t heard that nickname in years,” Nico grinned.  Then her face became a little more serious, “Has Eli not told you anything?  About the deal with your memories coming back?”  When Nozomi shook her head, Nico sighed, “Ah, well then, forget I said anything.  If she hasn’t mentioned anything, then it’s probably not my business to butt in.  It’s just…”  She paused, then said, “I think you two need to talk about it at some point.  For her sake.”  Then she grinned and she was back to the same Nico that Nozomi knew, “Sorry to put a damper on things.  It was really nice seeing you again; next time I’m in town we should meet up.”

“Sure thing, Nicocchi,” Nozomi replied cheerfully, though her thoughts quickly turned to Eli.  Nozomi thought that Eli had simply triggered her memories to return, but could there be something more to it than that?  She was so lost in thought that she didn’t notice Eli trying to say something to her.

“Hey, Nozomi!” Eli said, finally breaking through, “Are you alright?  You’ve been spacing out.”

Nozomi looked up in surprise, “Huh?  Oh, I’m fine.  I was just thinking about something Nicocchi said.”

“Uh oh, has that girl been giving you any weird ideas?” Eli grinned.

Though at first Nozomi hesitated, she knew she couldn’t keep it a secret and decided to come clean, “Nicocchi asked me about how I got my memories back, and it got me thinking that there’s more to the story than you’ve told me.”

Eli sucked in her breath, then let it out all at once, “Why don’t we go over there?”  She led the way to an empty bench towards the back of the school where they had a little more privacy, “What do you remember of that day...the day you all found me, three years ago?”

Nozomi thought back.  She’d gone to the archives to search for information about the Reapers and had found more information about succubui instead.  Something about using strong emotions and memories to break them out of a berserk state.  Then the fight, and the kiss…

When Nozomi’s cheeks turned pink, Eli looked away, “So you remember.  What you did that day, well, we don’t have any scientific proof or anything.  But we think that you somehow gave me your soul.”

Nozomi repeated blankly, “My soul?”

Eli nodded, still not looking at Nozomi, “That’s how I was able to break free from my berserk state.  But because of that, you lost your memories of who you were.  Without a soul, a person is just an empty shell after all.  Nico and Maki helped me do some research on the process, like what you did and how to undo it.  We concluded that there was no safe way for me to give you back your soul without the risk of me going berserk again, and we spent the next three years trying to figure out what the options were.  When I went to see you at your grandparents’ temple, we’d found a sort of solution.”

Eli paused as if bracing herself, then blurted out, “The two of us currently share a soul.  Your soul.  But because of that, neither of us can be apart from each other for very long.”

It took a moment for the information to really sink into Nozomi’s mind and she sat there trying to process the information she’d just been given.  When she finally realized what Eli had said, Nozomi felt her heart sinking into her stomach, “Then, the reason you’ve been staying at the temple…was because you couldn’t leave?  Elichi, I…”

“Wait, Nozomi,” Eli quickly said, grabbing Nozomi as she was about to flee, “I made my choice that day when I came to see you at your grandparents’ temple.  I knew that if we ever met again, unless I gave your soul back to you, I would be spending the rest of my days with you.  That’s a choice I made because I…I love you, Nozomi.”

“Elichi?” Nozomi asked feeling her heart practically grinding to a halt.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner,” Eli apologized as tears began to form in her eyes, “I was…afraid.  Because of me…my condition…you would be stuck with me for the rest of your life.  But I wanted to give you something back, because you’ve given me so much already.  It’s fine if you don’t like me the same way, if I’m just a burden to you.  If you tell me so, then…”

“Eli!” Nozomi shouted before embracing Eli.  Nozomi couldn’t believe it.  The feelings she’d felt those years ago suddenly surfaced once again.  Eli…loved her?  She hadn’t heard wrong, had she?

“N-Nozomi?” Eli stammered, surprised by the sudden embrace.

When Nozomi finally let go, she simply yelled, “Idiot!”  Eli flinched and turned away, “Don’t go saying things like that!  ‘It’s fine if you don’t like me the same way, you’re just a burden to me?’  Don’t go assuming you know what I’m thinking!”  Then before Eli could say anything in protest, Nozomi pulled Eli’s face up and pressed her lips against Eli’s.  Eli’s eyes were wide with surprise when Nozomi ended the kiss, “I love you too, Elichi.  I probably have since the day I met you, though I wouldn’t have known it at the time.”  As Eli sat there stunned, Nozomi pulled something out of her bag.  She’d bought them on a whim a few days ago, though she didn’t think she would ever have the courage to actually give them to Eli.

“Nozomi?” Eli asked when Nozomi hesitated.

Taking a deep breath, Nozomi pulled out a small black box, “Hey, Eli?”  She opened the box to reveal two matching rings, “Would you allow me…to always be by your side?”

Eli stared at the rings, a hand on her mouth as tears once again formed in her eyes and all she could do was nod.  Nozomi took one of the rings carefully out of the box and placed it on Eli’s ring finger and sighed in relief when it matched perfectly.  Placing the other ring on her own finger, Nozomi embraced the now sobbing Eli.  By the time Eli had finally calmed down the stars were twinkling overhead.

“Thank you, Nozomi,” Eli said, her head on Nozomi’s shoulders, “I think this is the happiest day of my life.”

Nozomi smiled, “Well, hopefully it’s just the first of many.”

“Hey, Nozomi?”

“What is it?”

“Can we…?”

Nozomi’s expression softened as she looked down into Eli’s brilliant blue eyes and the two came together once again for a searing kiss as the fireworks began to burst overhead.

**Author's Note:**

> I got some suggestions to write an epilogue story to my previous work and finally sat down and finished it. It is actually based on a previous story idea for 'At the Beginning with You' that I had to toss out because I couldn't come up with a satisfactory ending. Thanks for your suggestions and thank you for reading! Let me know what you think in the comments below. :)


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